Illegal alcohol production facility busted in Lithuania

BNS

2018 m. august 8 d. 20:36

Counterfeit vodka

Foto: Kauno aps. VPK

Lithuanian law enforcement officials say they have busted one of the largest counterfeit alcohol production facilities in the country, with the criminal group raking up to 3 million euros a month from this business.

"One of the largest counterfeit vodka networks has been destroyed. Vodka under the famous brands of Finlandia and Smirnoff was produced and sold at illegal selling points in Lithuania and also dozens of tons of it were brought to Scandinavia," Edvardas Šileris, a deputy police commissioner general, told a press conference on Wednesday.

Over 40 tons of illegal alcohol were found during searches in Kaunas District and 15 people were detained, and five of them, including the organizer of the illegal activity, were subsequently arrested. The suspects are known to police as several of them had prior convictions.